Mutations

Genetic Mutations & Oddities

Hermaphroditism and Autofertility

• **Frankenhuis et al., 1990** – "A case of combined hermaphroditism and autofertilisation in a domestic rabbit."

 * Vet Rec.  
 * [PubMed link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2382355/)

• **Sheppard, 1943** – "The reproductive system of a pregnant hermaphrodite rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)."

 * J Anat. 77(Pt 4): 288–293  
 * [PMC link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1252732/)

• **Bayraktar, 2017** – "Potential autofertility in true hermaphrodites."

 * Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 31(4):1–10  
 * DOI:10.1080/14767058.2017.1291619  
 * [ResearchGate link](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313454996_Potential_autofertility_in_true_hermaphrodites)

Broken Pattern Oddities

• Occasionally, a rabbit may present with a single random white spot (e.g., on the foot). While injury is a likely cause in many cases, the broken gene can sometimes be expressed so subtly that only one hair appears white.

• Key points about Broken patterns:

 * Broken is **not** a white rabbit with black patches; it is a **solid-colored rabbit with a white overlay**.  
 * White is a stripping effect caused by genes that block or dilute the density of eumelanin and pheomelanin.  
 * To confirm a rabbit is genetically broken, **test breeding** is required.

• Genes and combinations that can produce broken patterns, random spotting, or “leakage”:

 * `En` – Broken  
 * `aachdchd` – Self homozygous Chinchilla  
 * `v` – Vienna  
 * `duw, dud` – Dutch variants  
 * Chimera / somatic gene mutation – genes copied incorrectly during cell division  

• [PMC article on gene mutations affecting pigmentation](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3695642/)